1943 in music


This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1943.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

Top popular recordings 1943

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records' chart during 1943. Each week fifteen points were awarded to the number one record, then nine points for number two, eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. Regional charts determined the 11–25 rankings each week, and records that failed to score on the main chart were ranked by highest position. Additional information was obtained from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954 and other sources as specified.
Rank<ArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart positions
1The Mills Brothers"Paper Doll"Decca 18318US BB 1943 #2, US #1 for 12 weeks, 40 total weeks, US R&B 1943 #14, Harlem Hit Parade #2 for 5 weeks, 29 total weeks, 287 points, 1,000,000 sales, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998
2Harry James and His Orchestra "I've Heard That Song Before"Columbia 36668US BB 1943 #1, US #1 for 13 weeks, 26 total weeks, 240 points, 1,000,000 sales
3Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "There Are Such Things"Victor 27974US BB 1943 #4, US #1 for 5 weeks, 26 total weeks, 176 points, 1,000,000 sales
4Bing Crosby"Sunday, Monday or Always"Decca 18561US BB 1943 #3, US #1 for 7 weeks, 20 total weeks, 174 points, 1,000,000 sales
5Xavier Cugat & His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra"Brazil"Columbia 36651US BB 1943 #5, US #2 for 7 weeks, 24 total weeks, 140 points
6Al Dexter and His Troopers"Pistol Packin' Mama"Okeh 6708US BB 1943 #10, US #1, US Hillbilly 1943 #1, USHB #1 for 27 weeks, 47 total weeks, 109 points, 1,000,000 sales Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000
7Dick Haymes & the Song Spinners"You'll Never Know"Decca 18556US BB 1943 #5, US #1 for 4 weeks, 19 total weeks, US R&B 1943 #5, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks, 135 points, Oscar in 1943, ASCAP song of 1943, 1,000,000 sales
8Harry James and His Orchestra "I Had The Craziest Dream"Columbia 36659US BB 1943 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 22 total weeks, 128 points
9Harry James and His Orchestra "All or Nothing at All"Columbia 35587US BB 1943 #19, US #2 for 1 weeks, 25 total weeks, 107 points, 1,000,000 sales
10Glenn Miller and His Orchestra"That Old Black Magic"Victor 20-1523US BB 1943 #11, US #1 for 1 weeks, 19 total weeks, 105 points
11Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "In The Blue Of Evening"Victor 27947US BB 1943 #6, US #1 for 3 weeks, 20 total weeks, 123 points
12Dinah Shore"You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To"Victor 20-1519US BB 1943 #15, US #2 for 2 weeks, 20 total weeks, 73 points
13Dick Haymes & the Song Spinners"It Can't Be Wrong"Decca 18557US BB 1943 #13, US #2 for 5 weeks, 15 total weeks, 71 points
14Harry James and His Orchestra"Velvet Moon"Columbia 36672US BB 1943 #17, US #2 for 2 weeks, 17 total weeks, 68 points
15Jacques Renard & His Orchestra"As Time Goes By"Victor 20-1526US BB 1943 #21, US #2 for 1 week, 18 total weeks, 250,000 sales
16Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters"Pistol Packin' Mama"Decca 23277US 1943 #14, US #2 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #2, USHB #1 for 11 weeks, 23 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales
17Benny Goodman and His Orchestra "Why Don't You Do Right?"Columbia 35869US BB 1943 #7, US #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks
18Bing Crosby"Moonlight Becomes You"Decca 18513US BB 1943 #20, US #3 for 1 weeks, 20 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales
19Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "It Started All Over Again"Victor 27947US BB 1943 #6, US #1 for 3 weeks, 20 total weeks
20Dinah Shore"Why Don't You Fall in Love with Me"Victor 27970US BB 1943 #23, US #3 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks
21Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees"As Time Goes By"Victor 20-1526US BB 1943 #21, US #2 for 1 week, 18 total weeks
22Judy Garland & Gene Kelly"For Me and My Gal"Decca 18480US BB 1943 #25, US #3 for 1 week, 21 total weeksGrammy Hall of Fame in 2010
23Bing Crosby"I'll Be Home for Christmas"Decca 18570US BB 1943 #24, US #3 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales
24Song Spinners"Comin' In On a Wing and a Prayer"Decca 18553US BB 1943 #8, US #1 for 3 weeks, 12 total weeks, 91 points
25Harry James and His Orchestra"I Heard You Cried Last Night"Columbia 36672US BB 1943 #17, US #2 for 2 weeks, 17 total weeks, 90 points
26Benny Goodman and His Orchestra "Taking a Chance on Love"Columbia 35869US BB 1943 #7, US #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks, 89 points
27Bing Crosby & Trudy Erwin"People Will Say We're In Love"Decca 18564US BB 1943 #22, US #2 for 1 week, 17 total weeks, 86 points
28The Ink Spots"Don't Get Around Much Anymore"Decca 18503US BB 1943 #18, US #2 for 1 week, 27 total weeks, 82 points
29Frank Sinatra"You'll Never Know"Columbia 36678US BB 1943 #16, US #2 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks, 77 points
30Glenn Miller and His Orchestra"Moonlight Becomes You"Decca 18513US BB 1943 #20, US #3 for 1 weeks, 20 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales
31Dinah Shore"Murder, He Says"Victor 27970US BB 1943 #23, US #3 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks
32Ted Daffan's Texans"No Letter Today"Okeh 6706US BB 1943 #50, US #9 for 1 week, 20 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #3, USHB #1 for 5 weeks, 53 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales
33Erskine Hawkins"Don't Cry, Baby"Bluebird 30-0813US BS 1943 #58, US #11 for 2 weeks, 20 total weeks, US R&B 1943 #1, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 14 weeks, 29 total weeks, August 14 – November 13, 1943

Harlem Hit Parade Top Records of 1943

RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart positions
1Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra"Don't Cry, Baby"Bluebird 30-0813US Billboard 1943 #57, US Pop #11 for 3 weeks, 20 total weeks, US R&B 1943 #1, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 14 weeks, 29 total weeks, August 14 – November 13, 1943
2Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra"Don't Get Around Much Anymore"Victor 20-1547US Billboard 1944 #80, US Pop #10 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #7, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, 191 points
3The Mills Brothers"Paper Doll"Decca 18318US Billboard 1943 #1, US Pop #1 for 12 weeks, 40 total weeks, 287 points, US R&B 1943 #14, Harlem Hit Parade #2 for 5 weeks, 29 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998, 1,000,000 sales,
4The Ink Spots"Don't Get Around Much Anymore"Decca 18503US Billboard 1943 #16, US Pop #2 for 1 week, 27 total weeks, 82 points
5Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra"Apollo Jump"Victor 20-1547US Billboard 1944 #80, US Pop #10 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #7, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, 191 points
6The Ink Spots"I Can't Stand Losing You"Decca 18503US Billboard 1943 #16, US Pop #2 for 1 week, 27 total weeks, 82 points
7Bea Booze"See See Rider Blues"Victor 20-1547US Billboard 1944 #80, US Pop #10 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #7, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, 191 points
8Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra vocals Billie Holiday"Trav'lin' Light"Capitol 47US Billboard 1943 #80, US Pop #10 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #7, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, 191 points
9Dick Haymes and the Song Spinners"You'll Never Know"Decca 18556US Billboard 1943 #6, US Pop #1 for 4 weeks, 19 total weeks, 135 points, US R&B 1943 #9, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks
10Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra"When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World)"Victor 20-1547US Billboard 1944 #80, US Pop #10 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #7, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, 191 points

Published popular music

Classical music

Compositions

[Opera]

Film

[Musical theatre]

[Musical film]s

Beautiful Michoacán, starring Tito Guízar, Gloria Marín and Víctor Manuel Mendoza.Best Foot Forward, starring Lucille Ball and Nancy Walker and featuring Harry James & his Music MakersCabin In The Sky, starring Ethel Waters, Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong

Births

January–March

April–June

July–September

October–December

Deaths